I've got a problem in Exchange Server 2007: I've got 3 databases with 400 mailboxes distributed in two physical disks. I've run out of space in both disks and I think the problem is fragmentation but according what i've been reading, to execute an offline defragmentation i need more space. My solution it's been create a new database and move every mailbox but i've got two doubts: 1. What happens with System Attendant Mailbox? Should I do anything with it when i delete the old databases? Will it be created automatically? 2. Is there any way for moving every disconnected mailbox or i will lost them if I delete the databases associated with them? Thanks in advance. Arantza

Hi Arantza If you are moving to a larger disk, have you considered moving the entire database rather than the mailboxes: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123695(EXCHG.80).aspx. To move the System Attendant mailbox you change the HomeMDB attribute for the user object using ADSIEdit. The System Attendant user is located here: CN=Configuration, CN=Services, CN=Microsoft Exchange, CN=Organisation Name, CN=Administrative Groups, CN=Administrative Group, CN=Servers, CN=Server Name, CN=Microsoft System Attendant. Copy the HomeMDB attribute from a user in the new database and paste that value into the HomeMDB field for the System Attendant user. Cheers, Steve

If you delete the store the SA mailbox is on, it will be re-created automatically on another server when you restart the SA service.

Hi Steve, The new disk is not enough large and the reason for moving mailboxes instead of databases is avoiding fragmentation. The size of my security copy of mailboxes is 150GB and the size of database copy is 350 GB so I think something is wrong with edb files. Thank you very much for your solution about System Attendant mailbox. Cheers. Arantza

No worries. I don't think that there is a solution to move disconnected mailboxes so those will be lost when you delete the database. I hope your move goes OK. Cheers, Steve

Note that if you change the value via adsiedit, you still have to restart the SA service to make it stick so there is really no reason to manually change it. Exchange will recreate the SA mailbox for you if its missing.

Ok. So better I let exchange create it automatically. Thank you very much

Yep, and if it doesnt, you can use the adisedit technique as described above. Run Exbpa after you are done and let it check it for yo: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd535374(EXCHG.80).aspx

Maybe the only solution is reconnect mailboxes, move them and then disconnect them again. I need them for some time because of the policy of my organization and on the other side, I must delete old databases after moving mailboxes because I need disk space. Thanks for your interest. I hope move will be ok too. :-)

Sure. Thanks